1. Field of Disclosure
The present disclosure of invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing a scaffold and a scaffold manufactured by the same. More particularly, the present disclosure of invention relates to an apparatus for manufacturing a tube shaped scaffold, which has a tube fixing structure that is capable of fixing a tube to prevent the tube from being bent and to securely fixing the tube, and a scaffold manufactured by the same.
2. Description of Related Technology
Tissue engineering is technologies for manufacturing a substitute of a tissue to transplant the substitute into a living body based on basic concepts and technologies of bioscience, medical science and engineering, thereby maintaining, improving and recovering body function. In 1980's, artificial skin was firstly invented so that the tissue engineering was recognized as one of new studies. The tissue engineering has actively studied in various fields until recently. When a structure of the tissue is very complex, the study for the complex tissue is in an early stage. However, when a structure of the tissue such as skin, bone, etc., is simple, the substitute has been improved to be widely used.
In order to realize the tissue engineering, a portion of tissue is extracted from a body of a patient. Cells are separated from the extracted tissue. The separated cells are cultivated to a required amount, thereby forming a scaffold that supports the cultivated cells. The scaffold is transplanted into the body. In most tissues and organs, the transplanted cells receive oxygen and nutrition by diffusion of body fluid until new blood vessel is formed. After the blood vessel is formed, the cells multiply and differentiate to form new tissue and organ, and the scaffold that is biolytic is dissolved, thereby disappearing.
The scaffold has various shapes for various portions of the body. One of the various shapes of the scaffold is a tube shape. The tube shaped scaffold is used for the substitute for tissues such as the blood vessel, nerve, etc. In order to manufacture the conventional tube shaped scaffold, a base frame having the tube shape is fixed, and then the base frame is rotated to float materials of the scaffold on the base frame.
In order to manufacture the tube shaped scaffold, a base frame having the tube shape is required to be fixed. Various apparatus for fixing ends of the cylindrical shaped rod or tube has been studied. A structure of the apparatus for fixing may be changed based on diameter, material, strength or flexibility, use, etc. The tube for a base frame of the tube shaped scaffold is thin and has small strength.
In order to fix the tube, an apparatus of FIGS. 1A and 1B is used. Referring to FIGS. 1A and 1B, a pair of corn shaped supporting parts 5000 are inserted into both ends of a tube 1000 of a conventional apparatus 5 for fixing a tube. An apex of the corn shaped supporting part 5000 is inserted into the tube 1000 until an outer diameter of the corn shaped supporting part 5000 is substantially the same as an inner diameter of the tube 1000. When the corn shaped supporting part 5000 is accurately inserted into the both sides of the tube 1000, the tube is fixed and supported and the corn shaped supporting part 5000 is rotatable. Thus, the tube 1000 may be rotated by a rotating part such as a motor combined with the corn shaped supporting part 5000.
However, the conventional apparatus 5 for fixing the tube has the following problems. FIGS. 2A and 2B are perspective views illustrating the problems of the conventional apparatus for fixing the tube. In order to fix the tube 1000 of the conventional apparatus 5 for fixing the tube, the corn shaped supporting part 5000 is inserted into the both ends of the tube 1000. However, when the corn shaped supporting part 5000 is not sufficiently inserted in the tube 1000 (shown in FIG. 2A), the tube 1000 may not be fixed. Thus, although the corn shaped supporting part 5000 is rotated, the tube 1000 may not be rotated and may skid. In contrast, when the corn shaped supporting part 5000 is inserted into the tube 1000 at an excessive strength (shown in FIG. 2B), the tube 1000 may be bent. The tube 1000 is sued for the base frame for manufacturing the tube shaped scaffold, and the tube 1000 may have a diameter of several to several tens of millimeters and a length of several hundred millimeters. Thus, when the corn shaped supporting part 5000 presses the both ends of the tube 1000 by the excessive strength, the tube 1000 may be easily bent. When the tube 1000 is bent, the tube 1000 is dislocated from a right position so that accuracy of floating process of the manufacturing the scaffold or the floating process may be impossible.
Various apparatuses for fixing the tube have been disclosed. Structures for fixing the tube are disclosed in related arts. Korean Patent Registration No. 0473554 discloses “Tool Carrier Device Of Machining Center” on Feb. 17, 2005. U.S.A. laid open publication No. 2011-0309614 discloses “Tube Coupling” on Dec. 22, 2011. However, the structure of the apparatus for fixing the tube is required to be changed based on the diameter, material, strength or flexibility, usage, etc. Thus, the apparatus for fixing the tube of the above-mentioned related arts is not suitable for fixing the tubes. In particular, the apparatus for fixing the tube of the related arts fixes only one end of the tube so that the related art does not mention or disclose the bending or skid of the tube. Also, the tube of the related art is strong so that the tube may not be deformed. Thus, the apparatus of the related art may not be applied to the thin and weak tube of FIGS. 1A to 2B.
Also, there are several related arts concerning the tube shaped scaffold. Korean Patent laid open publication No. 2009-0064617 discloses “Method For Fabrication Bio-Degradable Polymer Nerve Conduit With Biodegradable Plastic/Nano Microfibrous Scaffold” on Jun. 22, 2009. International Patent laid open publication No. WO07/074896 discloses “Composite Scaffold For Tissue Regeneration” on Jul. 5, 2007. However, the above-mentioned related arts also do not mention or disclose the above-mentioned problems. Any solution for the above-mentioned problems may be insoluble.